Album review: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, 'The Lion The Beast The Beat'

** 1/2 (out of four)

June 08, 2012|By Emily Van Zandt | RedEye Sound Board

Can someone put me in touch with the person in charge of the "Sons of Anarchy"soundtrack? It seems Grace Potter and the Nocturnals had the gritty show's fifth season in mind when they were recording their latest, 'The Lion The Beast The Beat.'

If the title track isn't at least featured in at least an FX promo spot, it's a real waste.

Potter's gravely vocals throw out lines like, "I found the heart of a lion/in the belly of the beast/And I held it in my hand/and I could feel, I could feel the beat" over pulsing tribal drums. Add in a few references to tearing up Nevada roads on an easy rider and plenty of fuzzy guitar riffs--it's just too perfect.

The rest of the album stays fairly firmly rooted in the vein of slow-burn rock. The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach co-wrote several of the tracks here, including "Never Go Back," which has a definite blues feel layered with some fresh synth to keep it from getting too heavy.

Despite Potter's killer rock voice, listeners don't get a good sense of her range except on the ballad "Stars," which strips away to a piano-and-acoustic background that helps her shine.

'The Lion The Beast The Beat' should find favor with fans of the band's bluesy alt-rock sound. Those who came to know Potter from the band's 2010 rock single 'Paris (Ooh La La)' should especially enjoy the foot-stomping 'Runaway.'

If there were any fears that the album would lean more folk-rock after Potter's collaboration on country star Kenny Chesney's 'You and Tequila,' the first few tracks take care of clearing that up. It's another abum of solid, fan-pleasing rock tracks for the singer and crew.